Please select your home edition
Edition
GJW Direct 2024 Dinghy

RenaissanceRe Junior Gold Cup at Royal Bermuda Yacht Club - Overall

by Laurie Fullerton 8 Oct 2012 09:05 BST 4-7 October 2012

Douglas Elmes of Ireland wins

Hamilton harbour set the stage for the final race of the Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup today. Swiss sailor Damian Suri besting the fleet of 38 international and Bermuda sailors to win the 10th anniversary Renaissance Re trophy for his first place finish today.

Suri had a fantastic race in front of a huge spectator fleet. The race also featured sailors like American Audrey Giblin and Bermudian Chase Cooper very much in the hunt finishing in the top five today.

The Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup, the overall top prize, went to Douglas Elmes of Ireland who won it after 11 races with 50 points. Second place finisher Tomas di Luciano of Argentina had 54 points.

"I know today I had to cover Tomas from Argentina and so that is all I did. It worked out well. It was the right thing for me to do," Elmes said, who has been sailing consistently well over the four days in both rough and light air conditions. "I am really amazed that I won the Junior Gold Cup. It is fantastic."

Although Elmes had a very strong event, particularly in the shifty conditions on the Great Sound, Suri outpaced the fleet today and played every shift on Hamilton harbor.

"It was pretty cool to come in first in front of all the spectators," said Suri, who jumped out of his Optimist and into the warm Bermuda water the minute he crossed the finish line. "I think I am now the only one in the regatta to get three bullets. I think I had a lot of good luck and many of us practiced the strategy of going to the left of the course. That seemed to work out well. It is just such a great place to be as it is beautiful, warm and great people."

As this was the 10th anniversary of the Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup it seemed most fitting that a former junior Opti sailor who attended this event in 2003 won the Argo Group Gold Cup today. Taylor Canfield, who is from the US Virgin Islands and is in his early 20s, was brought here by Peter Holmberg when he was 14.

Canfield claims he caught the match racing bug then. He said, "I think when I was here nine years ago I did better in the heavier breezes, but the great camaraderie that we had than has continued. I think international Optimist sailing is so great for the sport. It inspired me then and I aspired to come back here and win the Gold Cup." He won the Gold Cup today 3-0 over Johnie Berntsson of Sweden.

There is no doubt that the event stays in the minds of both the young sailors from overseas but it also raises the level of sailing for Bermuda's youth sailors who would not normally get to meet world's best. The support for youth sailing here has always been important to people like the late Dick Kempe and in his honor Chase Cooper was given the inaugural Dick Kempe award for being the top Bermuda sailor in this event. Cooper finished in seventh place overall.

"I definitely would love to race in the Gold Cup someday," Cooper added. "I think this regatta went really well and I didn't think I had been sailing well all summer, but things really improved for me this week."

Bermuda's Cecilia Wollmann also won an award for being the top girl finisher in the event.

The Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup has had the kind of support that enables sailors to dream of their own futures as sailors and for event chairman Somers Cooper they could not have done it without sponsorship support like this.

"The kids love coming here because they know the competition is good and they really get to get out there with the best," said event chairman Somers Cooper. "This event is also unique because it is tied to a world class match racing event. The young kids get to see and establish their sailing heroes and it continues to inspire their love of sailing and the sport. We really do have to thank our sponsor for making this happen. We could not do it without them."

Related Articles

Enter now for Chichester Harbour Race Week
Last year nearly 600 competitors in 383 boats attended Book your place at the biggest dinghy and keelboat regatta in the UK! With the website open, you can now reserve your place in this year's 'must attend' event. Starting on Monday 11th August, ending on 15th. Posted on 24 May
Entries open for Parkstone Youth Week
Different from most sailing regattas - and now with a Roman Empire theme There will a Gladitorial display of sailing and fun off the water activities, encompassing the spirit of Ancient Rome, starting in just 12 weeks' time. So, as Caesar raises his thumb it is time for you to sign up to the highlight of the Roman calendar. Posted on 23 May
Optimist Team Racing at Oxford
'Team Gust Busters' wins the Ramus Trophy 'Team Gust Busters' won the Ramus Trophy after claiming victory at the IOCA (UK) Team Racing Championships at Oxford Sailing Club on 17th-18th May 2025. Posted on 20 May
Magic Marine UK Optimist open meeting at Hayling
Lucky enough to have huge support from both local marine and non-marine businesses The weekend of 10th/11th May saw 122 Optimist Sailors gather at Hayling Island Sailing Club to race in the Magic Marine UK HISC Optimist Open in perfect Hayling conditions. Posted on 16 May
ROTTERs return at Ripon
25 sailors under 14 enjoy MarioKart sailing and other fun activities Following a successful Discover Sailing day on the 5th May Ripon Sailing Club's ROTTERs met at the club on 10th May for their next planned session and were joined by lots of new members, with 25 sailors between the ages of 4 and 14. Posted on 16 May
Corinthian Otters Explore Lion Creek
The excitement is instant, the novices are wide-eyed to the tales from the old salts The excitement is instant, the novice adventurers wide-eyed to the tales from the old salts who have been before. It's a firm favourite among the young sailors and parents lucky enough the claim a crew spot on the support boats. Posted on 15 May
IOCA GBR Optimist Selection Trials
Tactical masterclass in Weymouth The best of Britain's young Optimist sailors gathered in Weymouth last weekend for four days of high-stakes racing, vying for spots on the 2025 World, European, and Development Teams. Posted on 12 May
RCIYC Nick Cousins Memorial Spring Regatta Preview
Scheduled to run from Friday to Sunday 16th to 18th May in Jersey Entries are open for the fourth edition of the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club's Nick Cousins Memorial Spring Regatta, scheduled to run from Friday to Sunday 16th to 18th May. Posted on 7 May
Northamptonshire Youth Series preview
It's just over a week to go to the first of this year's events It's just over a week to go to the first of this year's events. We're starting off at the beautiful Middle Nene Sailing Club. It really is a spectacular gem of a sailing club tucked alongside the River Nene. Posted on 1 May
Blackwater SC cadet training weekend
Sunshine, sailing and ice-cream for 70 sailors The Blackwater Sailing Club proudly hosted an inspiring, busy and successful Cadet Training Weekend 26-27 April welcoming more than 70 enthusiastic young sailors from aged 8 to 18 for two days of skill-building, fun and adventure on the water. Posted on 1 May